AROUND & ABOUT

Lecture

Costa Mesa--The reason cliff homes on the Greek island of Sanorini are painted white and how they differ from the rows of pink tract housing in Orange County will be explored in "Vernacular Architecture Around the World" on Friday at Orange Coast College.

Irini Vallera-Rickerson, a native of Athens and professor of art history, will give the lecture on how people use climate and native materials from nature. Using examples from Nubian villages in Egypt and American Indian sites in New Mexico, Vallera-Rickerson will focus on non-professional architecture that is indigenous, such as the homes in Greece, which are painted white to reflect the heat.

What she likes about such architecture is how "people are very in tune with the environment." It's different than Orange County tract housing, she says, where "we chop down the hills and we ruin (the environment). You aren't going to see this in vernacular architecture."

The lecture is sponsored by the college's AIDS Education and Prevention Committee. Proceeds will be used to support AIDS awareness and education at Orange Coast College.

After the lecture, the campus art gallery will be open so the public can view the exhibition "Artists' Reflections on AIDS," which continues through Dec. 10.

What: "Vernacular Architecture Around the World."

When: Friday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m.

Where: Orange Coast College Forum; 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa.

Whereabouts: Take the San Diego (I-405) Freeway to the Fairview Road exit and head south on Fairview Road.

Wherewithal: $6.

Where to call: (714) 432-5726.

Holiday Bazaar

Cypress--Shoppers won't go hungry at the annual holiday bazaar on Saturday at the Cypress Community Center.

Besides the usual array of handcrafted tree ornaments and hand-painted T-shirts, bazaar-goers also will have their choice of hotdogs, Philadelphia-style steak sandwiches, burritos, quesadillas and Thai food. Early risers can have a $3 breakfast with Santa Claus from 8 to 11 a.m.

It is the 13th year that the city has held the crafts fair. Fifty vendors are expected to participate, and entertainment will be provided by the Cypress Bell Choir and children who take dance and other classes at the Cypress Recreation and Park District.

What: Holiday bazaar.

When: Saturday, Nov. 21, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Cypress Community Center, 5700 Orange Ave.

Whereabouts: From the Riverside (91) Freeway take the Valley View Street exit and head south. Turn right on Orange Avenue.

Wherewithal: Free. Breakfast with Santa is $3.

Where to call: (714) 229-6780.

Book Fair

Orange--Puppets, jugglers, authors, actors, dancers and musicians will show up at the Orange Central Library on Saturday for Books in the Hood.

"It's a multicultural book fair," says Anthony Garcia, supervisor of the Friendly Stop branch of the Orange Public Library. "We need to promote books and show kids they are fun, exciting and flashy."

Children can browse through the library's shelves or chat with fictional characters Madeleine and Clifford the dog. They can also watch Mexican dancing groups Relampago del Cielo and Ballet Folklorico Renancimiento or listen to rap groups Aztlan Nation and Jalapeno Chillin'.

Celebrities expected to attend the five-hour fair include actors Danny de la Paz and Poncho Gomez from the film "American Me"; Jim Eppard, former first baseman for the California Angels, and Los Angeles Ram offensive tackle Jackie Slater.

What: Books in the Hood.

When: Saturday, Nov. 21, from noon to 4 p.m.

Where: Orange Central Library, 101 N. Center St.

Whereabouts: Take the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway to Chapman Avenue west exit. Follow Chapman Avenue to Center Street and make a right.

Wherewithal: Free.

Where to call: (714) 288-2466.

Workshop

Orange--Coping with holiday-related depression and stress are among the topics at a special workshop scheduled at the Mariposa Women's Center on Monday.

Such issues as the Christmas blues, dealing with difficult relatives and surviving the holidays as a single person will be tackled by Christyn Triglia, a marriage, family and child counselor.

Triglia also will discuss how to reduce the burden of shopping and planning for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"We're rethinking the holiday season," Triglia said. "The seminar is all about teaching people to have a creative holiday season. It doesn't have to be real drudgery."

What: "Creating Your Best Holidays Ever" workshop.

When: Monday, Nov. 23, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Where: Mariposa Women's Center, 812 Town & Country Road, Orange.

Whereabouts: From the eastbound Garden Grove (22) Freeway, get off at the Main Street exit and turn left onto Town & Country Road.

Wherewithal: $10

Where to call: (714) 547-6494.

Workshop

Fullerton--Just because trees grow wild doesn't mean you should plant them just anywhere, says Alden Kelley, a founding member of the Tree Society of Orange County.